Cebu Daily News / News

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Expert labels Con-ass bid as ‘useless’ Cebu Daily News Posted date: June 04, 2009 Useless” was how a key framer of the 1987 Constitution described the hasty passage of a House resolution seeking to convene Congress into a constituent assembly (con-ass). Fr. Joaquin Bernas said yesterday the resolution, which the House of Representatives passed on Tuesday night, was for naught as Congress was already considered a con-ass assembly “with or without” it. In Cebu, various militant groups were disappointed by the support given by eight Cebuano legislators for the resolution endorsing constituent assembly as a mode for Charter change. Still, Archdiocese spokesman Msgr. Achilles Dakay said Archbishop Jose Cardinal Vidal wasn’t bothered since he believed that the people would oppose Charter change through con-ass. Bernas, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, agreed that efforts to amend the Constitution at this point would fail for lack of time and funds. He chastised congressmen-allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who insisted on passing the resolution allowing for a Senate-less constitutional assembly. “They are toying with the Constitution. They have been fooling the people,” said Bernas, who is dean emeritus of the Ateneo de Manila Law School. In another interview with the cable news channel ANC, he accused congressmen of dismissing the Senate as a co-equal in a bicameral legislative body. “The House cannot say we are Congress because Congress is the House and the Senate,” he said. Sen. Francis Pangilinan warned of another people power uprising Malacañang and its allies in the House would amend the Constitution without the Senate. “In their desire to remain in their positions, they are out of touch with reality,” he said. The President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu City president said Congress should defer their plans for a constituent assembly since the elections will be held next year. Lawyer Michael Yu said he will call a special meeting with the IBP board to come out with the group's stand on the issue. Yu said the hasty passage of the resolution conveys the impression that lawmakers want to extend their terms of office. “Out of delicadeza and so that we will not lose the trust of our people, Congress might as well defer the action on that particular matter to avoid suspicion. We have to avoid this suspicion because we are at the very critical time of our country,” Yu said. Yu chided what he called as “the abuse of the tyrannical majority” for passing House Resolution 1109 that called for the convening of the Senate and Congress. Militant groups like Bayan-Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela held a rally yesterday to condemn the mvoe of the House. Bayan-Muna Central Visayas secretary-general Arman Perez said Cebuanos should be saddened by the show of support given by all eight Cebu legislators to the House resolution. “It’s a sad day for the Cebuanos that our eight representatives in the province supported HR 1109. The Filipino people will judge these individuals who pushed for HR 1109 in history’s trash bin,” Perez said. But Rep. Pablo Garcia of Cebu's second district said the House resolution was being misinterpreted. He said they merely wanted to invite the Senate to join Congress into convening into a constituent assembly. “If the senators won't join, there won't be any constituent assembly,” he added. Still other groups remain unconvinced. The partylist group Akbayan said they will file a resolution at the Supreme Court asking them to review the legality of the constituent assembly. /Correspondents Jhunnex Napallacan and Carine M. Asutilla with a report from Inquirer